Renewable Energy

Enhancing and expanding our use of renewable resources is important to 4-County. By investing in clean energy we all do our part to help ourselves, our children and our planet. That’s why we offer two programs through TVA that allow our members to get involved in green power.

TVA Green Power SwitchGreen Power Switch helps 4-County customers bring renewable energy to the Tennessee Valley by purchasing blocks of green power at $4 per block on their monthly electric bill. Each block of green power is about 12 percent of a typical household’s monthly energy use (150 kilowatt-hours).

Like any revolutionary idea, the idea behind Green Power Switch is simple: harness the natural power of the wind, the sun, and the earth to create an energy source that’s usable in our everyday lives. TVA and local public power companies, working in cooperation with the environmental community, developed Green Power Switch as a way to bring green power — electricity that’s generated by renewable resources such as solar, wind, and methane gas — to Valley consumers.

Wind Power
Wind turbines can generate electric power anywhere the wind blows steady and strong. Wind turbines use the momentum of moving air to quietly turn large blades that are attached to the shaft of an efficient electric generator.

Solar Power
The sun is an incredibly powerful source of energy. When rays of sunshine strike a solar panel, they give some of the electrons inside it more energy, a process that creates an electrical current.

Methane Gas
Turn your trash into treasure. Methane is produced when organic wastes decay. If methane is released directly into the atmosphere, it is a potent greenhouse gas. Using it to generate energy encourages more efficient collection and thereby reduces emissions into the atmosphere.

Green Power ProvidersGreen Power Providers allows 4-County members to put in small renewable energy generation at their home or business and get incentives—including a one-time payment and premium payments on power generated.